NATIONAL RESEARCH
COUNCIL
TO STUDY NOAA’S RECREATIONAL DATA COLLECTION PROGRAM

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service Director
BIll Hogarth has asked the National Research Council to conduct a
thorough review of the agency’s recreational fishing data collection
program. Undertaken as part of the agency’s newly developed
strategic plan for recreational fisheries, this project responds to
fisheries managers’ increasing need for timely information on
recreational fishing effort, catches and landings. NOAA is an agency
of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Detailed recreational catch and participation
data are the foundation of effective fishery conservation measures.
Because an estimated 17 million Americans fish in saltwater each year,
accurate recreational fishing information is increasingly important
in ensuring the long-term health of the resource. Data collection
programs support socio-economic analyses of the recreational fishery,
allowing fishery managers to assess the impact of regulations on communities
and businesses.

“Our
current efforts, while providing excellent information, are not keeping
pace with the evolving needs of managers,” Hogarth
said. “We need to continue to expand and improve our data collection
program to ensure that our nation’s fisheries are managed properly.”

Currently, NOAA Fisheries collects information
on the amount of fish caught and number of anglers on the water through
a variety of programs. The program most widely used is the Marine
Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey. This random-sample survey
conducted by telephone and dockside interviews, provides reliable
information on catch trends but often is not sufficiently detailed
to provide the real-time data now required for in-season quota management.

The National Research Council, a private,
nonprofit, congressionally chartered organization, provides independent
science, technology and policy advice to government agencies. The
NRC will evaluate NOAA’s current program and make recommendations
as to how the agency might better match its data collection efforts
with the needs of managers. The review will be completed in April
2006.

NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to providing
and preserving the nation’s living marine resources and their
habitat through scientific research, management and enforcement. NOAA
Fisheries provides effective stewardship of these resources for the
benefit of the nation, supporting coastal communities that depend
upon them, and helping to provide safe and healthy seafood to consumers
and recreational opportunities for the American public.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic
security and national safety through the prediction and research of
weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship
of our nation’s coastal and marine resources.